Ohio Farm Tours

[buckhunter10]

WELP - I am really working hard to get my head around this Spring and Summer plans for the food-plotting at the farm. We are adding several new plots, fencing, gates, etc. Some of the work will be contracted out and other will be all done by us. Regardless - we have a LOT to get accomplished.

Below is the list of plots established, and the soon to be established plots. The hardest part I have is deciding what to plant! How much in clover, brassicas, grains, beans, etc.

Total acreage of the farm 232 acres - SE Ohio - No AG around for miles. Much of ground has been clear cut, natural browse is abundant.

1. Stonehenge - 2 acres - Half clover/chicory blend and half brassicas (or all brassicas this year?) - beans?
2. Big plot - 1 acre - Half clover/chicory blend and half brassicas (all brassica this year?) - beans?
3. Pipeline - 3+ acres - keep some in clover mix, mow. (this could be 5-10 acres if I wanted to do that much on Pipeline)
Have beans planted in many flat areas - great cost on seed from farmer buddy
Possibly brassicas in area or two
4. Lane plot - .5 acre clover/brassica mix/grain (sunlight will be limiting)
5. Tire plot - 1/8th of acre - oats, rye grain, brassica mix
6. High Point plot 1+ acre - brassica, grain mix, some clover maybe too.
7. Ridge plot (below tire) - 3/4- 1acre - brassicas/grain mix or beans (if plot is closer to acre maybe do beans)
8. Oil Rig plot (below ridge plot 1/4 acre - clover/chicory mix, overseed with brassicas/rye in fall
9. double stand plot 1/4 acre- already in clover and chicory
10. pine plot - 1/8th acre in clover/chicory blend already

Total plot acres are 9ish acres

So what do you all think of the list? Do you think I am missing something? Should I consider less clovers? more?

Give me your thoughts all!

 

[dogghr]

One thing we have noticed on our farm is a major increase in does - which we are happy about. We have really laid off them for years. We are now excited to start taking a few next year.

Here is just a neat series of pictures that show the same plot from planting till now. This is about an acre plot, you can see the browse pressure on this from the deer.

This was taken around first weekend of Sept.
View attachment 11415

Same plot around Nov/Dec:
View attachment 11416

Now:
View attachment 11417

Next year overseed this in Nov with a grain and RC. Will give additional feed thru winter and by March plenty of food instead of dirt and it. will go thru summer until fall rotation.
Your plans look awesome. Gonna be busy. Good luck.

 

[buckhunter10]

Next year overseed this in Nov with a grain and RC. Will give additional feed thru winter and by March plenty of food instead of dirt and it. will go thru summer until fall rotation.
Your plans look awesome. Gonna be busy. Good luck.

We did overseed this around SEPT I believe, maybe we should have done it later like you suggested. They just ate it to nothing. I think I am starting to flirt with a few too many deer around to be honest.

 

[Chainsaw]

Chainsaw, I thought of you - I have a lot of cutting to do to release some of these trees. This trail is near a great apple orchard but I bet we found a few hundred apple,pear, persimmon, and even a chestnut trees on the new farm.

I know now, where the deer were hiding when I wasnt seeing them! haha

Over the years I have begun to realize the result of releasing apple trees shows up in more than just more apples and more apple tree branching and longer life for each individual apple tree. The sun to the ground makes for germination of many things, some good and some not so good. The not so good is easy to keep up with so far. On the good side just think of all of the baby apple trees that could be germinating once the sun hits the ground in your old orchard. Of course the deer likely eat them completely each year but still that is a lot of number 1 top browse. However while I used to concentrate on one apple area at a time, I've come to prefer to just do a section in each one every year. That way each one has a steady supply of new browse growing area rather than just an explosion all at once.

If I had only one very large apple orchard I would still release them in stages. Starting on the outside edges where the forest is overtaking them the most can avoid losing many to succession. It seems like no big deal but over the years I've lost a lot of apple trees in those fringe areas.

 

[Mennoniteman]

WELP - I am really working hard to get my head around this Spring and Summer plans for the food-plotting at the farm. We are adding several new plots, fencing, gates, etc. Some of the work will be contracted out and other will be all done by us. Regardless - we have a LOT to get accomplished.

Below is the list of plots established, and the soon to be established plots. The hardest part I have is deciding what to plant! How much in clover, brassicas, grains, beans, etc.

Total acreage of the farm 232 acres - SE Ohio - No AG around for miles. Much of ground has been clear cut, natural browse is abundant.

1. Stonehenge - 2 acres - Half clover/chicory blend and half brassicas (or all brassicas this year?) - beans?
2. Big plot - 1 acre - Half clover/chicory blend and half brassicas (all brassica this year?) - beans?
3. Pipeline - 3+ acres - keep some in clover mix, mow. (this could be 5-10 acres if I wanted to do that much on Pipeline)
Have beans planted in many flat areas - great cost on seed from farmer buddy
Possibly brassicas in area or two
4. Lane plot - .5 acre clover/brassica mix/grain (sunlight will be limiting)
5. Tire plot - 1/8th of acre - oats, rye grain, brassica mix
6. High Point plot 1+ acre - brassica, grain mix, some clover maybe too.
7. Ridge plot (below tire) - 3/4- 1acre - brassicas/grain mix or beans (if plot is closer to acre maybe do beans)
8. Oil Rig plot (below ridge plot 1/4 acre - clover/chicory mix, overseed with brassicas/rye in fall
9. double stand plot 1/4 acre- already in clover and chicory
10. pine plot - 1/8th acre in clover/chicory blend already

Total plot acres are 9ish acres

So what do you all think of the list? Do you think I am missing something? Should I consider less clovers? more?

Give me your thoughts all!

You seem to be on the right track, I have a similar property with a dozen plots, from six acres down to a half acre, and I've come to the conclusion that clover rules for these reasons; clover needs less labor and equipment, clover needs less fertilizer, clover fields don't need planted every year, clover builds up your soil, clover feeds more deer with less acres, clover is closer to a year-round feed than anything else except soybeans, and best of all, unlike humans deer never get tired of eating the same thing all the time , espesially when the same thing is clover. I can have acorns dropping and my deer will be eating mostly acorns but they will still stop by for a bite of clover. I do a lot of things very similar to you, such as using a lot of small grains to start new clover, especially oats in spring and rye in the fall. Also, some chicory mixed with clover is always good. Soybeans are great if you have bigger fields and you soil is good enough to grow beans, but clover will grow where beans won't. So I grow mostly clover and beans and fall brassica in my fields and experiment with some other stuff just for fun, last year I planted nine different species other than those I listed above, none of them performed like clover. Early spring as soon as I can get into the fields, I'll load up my drill with clover, chicory and oats and run over all of my acres that don't get soybeans or don't have a good clover stand already, then in late summer I'll decide which fields to turn into fall plantings. I can't give you ideas on specific plots because that's a boots on the ground call. What's the soil like, what's growing now, or been growing, how does the field hold up to grazing pressure, what did well in this field in the past? One of my favorite food plot planting methods if you have a drill, is to let wherever's growing keep growing and just add to it, by notill drilling right through the old planting. There are different tricks like that where us food plot guys can make the "real farmers" equipment work for us in unique ways that a real farmer who wants to harvest a crop would never consider, so therefore you will never read or hear about it from ag people. Good luck with planting all of those fields. But plots aren't considered work, because they're always fun!

 

[Triple C]

buckhunter...Spending a rainy afternoon watching basketball and catching up on some of these property threads. I agree with above on clover - it's just hard to beat. The longer I do this stuff the simpler I try to keep it and that's come down to mostly perennial clover with grains and brassicas in the fall. Looks like you have a very busy spring and summer ahead of you prepping the new plots. Nothing better than working in the dirt though!

 

[buckhunter10]

You seem to be on the right track, I have a similar property with a dozen plots, from six acres down to a half acre, and I've come to the conclusion that clover rules for these reasons; clover needs less labor and equipment, clover needs less fertilizer, clover fields don't need planted every year, clover builds up your soil, clover feeds more deer with less acres, clover is closer to a year-round feed than anything else except soybeans, and best of all, unlike humans deer never get tired of eating the same thing all the time , espesially when the same thing is clover. I can have acorns dropping and my deer will be eating mostly acorns but they will still stop by for a bite of clover. I do a lot of things very similar to you, such as using a lot of small grains to start new clover, especially oats in spring and rye in the fall. Also, some chicory mixed with clover is always good. Soybeans are great if you have bigger fields and you soil is good enough to grow beans, but clover will grow where beans won't. So I grow mostly clover and beans and fall brassica in my fields and experiment with some other stuff just for fun, last year I planted nine different species other than those I listed above, none of them performed like clover. Early spring as soon as I can get into the fields, I'll load up my drill with clover, chicory and oats and run over all of my acres that don't get soybeans or don't have a good clover stand already, then in late summer I'll decide which fields to turn into fall plantings. I can't give you ideas on specific plots because that's a boots on the ground call. What's the soil like, what's growing now, or been growing, how does the field hold up to grazing pressure, what did well in this field in the past? One of my favorite food plot planting methods if you have a drill, is to let wherever's growing keep growing and just add to it, by notill drilling right through the old planting. There are different tricks like that where us food plot guys can make the "real farmers" equipment work for us in unique ways that a real farmer who wants to harvest a crop would never consider, so therefore you will never read or hear about it from ag people. Good luck with planting all of those fields. But plots aren't considered work, because they're always fun!

Great stuff here! Thank you for the write up. Some of the areas are plenty big and the soil is good enough to grow beans. Some of the other areas will be cleared this year for the first time in 30+ years. We are literally bringing in a dozer to clear the areas.

 

[buckhunter10]

buckhunter...Spending a rainy afternoon watching basketball and catching up on some of these property threads. I agree with above on clover - it's just hard to beat. The longer I do this stuff the simpler I try to keep it and that's come down to mostly perennial clover with grains and brassicas in the fall. Looks like you have a very busy spring and summer ahead of you prepping the new plots. Nothing better than working in the dirt though!

Thank you Triple C!

I can tell you the one fear I have is that my neighbors have some large cattle pastures that have a lot of clover in them. I am always wondering if my clover fields will be a strong enough draw for the deer. Although the deer numbers seem much higher this year then they used to be and I have noticed the clover getting his hard in the couple small plots I have now.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Thank you Triple C!

I can tell you the one fear I have is that my neighbors have some large cattle pastures that have a lot of clover in them. I am always wondering if my clover fields will be a strong enough draw for the deer. Although the deer numbers seem much higher this year then they used to be and I have noticed the clover getting his hard in the couple small plots I have now.

In my observations deer don't graze in cattle pastures until they have no other options, I think the primary reason being that a deer can only digest about 15% of their diet in grass, and even if a pasture has clover they're usually predominately grass. A secondary reason might be that pastures are usually not secluded enough for a deer's liking. I don't think you need to worry about the pasture competition, if you have some nice grass free plots that are in more secluded locations you will draw the deer off the pastures. My food plot motto; "Plant it and they (deer) will come"

 

[Chainsaw]

I'm with Mennoniteman on this. Secluded trumps all when it comes to daytime activity in feeding areas during hunting season. We have a large alfalfa field bordering us (guessing 40 acres) and I have not seen anyone shoot a deer in it. The small less than an acre "food plot" just inside the woods on us is a different matter.

Also at least here the clover growing in hay fields is pretty much wild and of only one main variety. Since we plant several varieties our plots have more best periods than a field with only one variety.

That brings up another idea on clover fields though, if we design the clover sections with barely enough space to meet the deer's clover intake is said clover plot usually re-sprouting more young tender plants versus that which is allowed to grow and mature?

On clover quantity though I am with the LC planting style with just a strip the length of the food plot. Here the clover does not seem to draw so much starting about Oct. 15 or so. Thus if a field is just clover the deer patterns that we helped setup all spring and summer change on us whereas if our mast trees and complete food plots offering everything are together then the travel patterns stay the same and are thus more hunt-able. So no matter how much clover is nearby it is worthwhile to have it in all of our plots along with everything else. Secluded unpressured plots combined with healthy woods will host a good share of the deer herd. You will be just fine.

You are planning for one of those all inclusive food plots (the apple tree plot) to be in, adjoining or surrounding the hundreds of apple trees area?

 

[buckhunter10]

I'm with Mennoniteman on this. Secluded trumps all when it comes to daytime activity in feeding areas during hunting season. We have a large alfalfa field bordering us (guessing 40 acres) and I have not seen anyone shoot a deer in it. The small less than an acre "food plot" just inside the woods on us is a different matter.

Also at least here the clover growing in hay fields is pretty much wild and of only one main variety. Since we plant several varieties our plots have more best periods than a field with only one variety.

That brings up another idea on clover fields though, if we design the clover sections with barely enough space to meet the deer's clover intake is said clover plot usually re-sprouting more young tender plants versus that which is allowed to grow and mature?

On clover quantity though I am with the LC planting style with just a strip the length of the food plot. Here the clover does not seem to draw so much starting about Oct. 15 or so. Thus if a field is just clover the deer patterns that we helped setup all spring and summer change on us whereas if our mast trees and complete food plots offering everything are together then the travel patterns stay the same and are thus more hunt-able. So no matter how much clover is nearby it is worthwhile to have it in all of our plots along with everything else. Secluded unpressured plots combined with healthy woods will host a good share of the deer herd. You will be just fine.

You are planning for one of those all inclusive food plots (the apple tree plot) to be in, adjoining or surrounding the hundreds of apple trees area?

Yes so the apple tree area will have around 2-4 acres of food next to it, about another 1/3 acre up the bottom and another 1 acre plot the other direction along where the apple trees are planted. Should be a major funnel for them!

 

[buckhunter10]

Well I had a bunch of Cabelas bucks and gift cards. I bought some food plot seed. I really buy a lot of seed from co-ops, but occasionally Ill buy some BOB. Excited to plant this mix, I think it'll be a good one!




I also am going to be mixing in some Durana with this mix as well. Is it time to plant yet??

 

[Mennoniteman]

All of Pennsylvania is very wet, I've got ridgetop fields that are the first to get fit and I don't see it happening for another week. I've never tried alfalfa, be sure and report how it did for you. Which size field is it going in?

 

[buckhunter10]

All of Pennsylvania is very wet, I've got ridgetop fields that are the first to get fit and I don't see it happening for another week. I've never tried alfalfa, be sure and report how it did for you. Which size field is it going in?

I haven’t decided yet. I’ll be mixing some Durana with it so I might go two half acre plots with it and use the remainder to fill in a few spots.

 

[dogghr]

That new property has you squirming like a kid in the candy aisle, Buck. I've used that Alfa rack before and its pretty decent for a clover alfalfa mix. Throw in come chicory and plant with a grain as I'm sure you plan to do. Likes ph near 7 and Boron. And doesn't like wet feet. Good luck. Looks good.

 

[buckhunter10]

That new property has you squirming like a kid in the candy aisle, Buck. I've used that Alfa rack before and its pretty decent for a clover alfalfa mix. Throw in come chicory and plant with a grain as I'm sure you plan to do. Likes ph near 7 and Boron. And doesn't like wet feet. Good luck. Looks good.

Thanks bud! I might not plant a lot of new ground untill the fall as I just dont have unlimited time and I need to get plots cleared with dozer, soil tested, amended, etc. I am thinking about planting this with a rye grain or oats, then next spring just mow the rye/oats that come back around April.

If I plant in spring, I probably will just kill it off with round up, till, plant alfalfa/clover/durana mix - I think there is chicory in the Alfalfa mix as well but I might add a little more to it.

You are darn right as well about my excitement. I cant keep thinking about the ground, mineral licks, seed mixes, what to plant/when, etc. It is almost obsessive - "it's not a passion, it is an obsession".

 

[Double L]

Well I had a bunch of Cabelas bucks and gift cards. I bought some food plot seed. I really buy a lot of seed from co-ops, but occasionally Ill buy some BOB. Excited to plant this mix, I think it'll be a good one!

View attachment 11490
View attachment 11491

I also am going to be mixing in some Durana with this mix as well. Is it time to plant yet??

Not to be jacking the thread but apparently i have been sitting at my desk way too long today looking at web. My question about the imperial seed pictured above regarding the seed. 80% germ and 34% inert matter. If wanting to plant at 15lbs an acre would you need to plant this at all most double the rate to make up for this? Ive been looking into quality seed and what makes it different. Am I thinking correctly ?

 

[buckhunter10]

Not to be jacking the thread but apparently i have been sitting at my desk way too long today looking at web. My question about the imperial seed pictured above regarding the seed. 80% germ and 34% inert matter. If wanting to plant at 15lbs an acre would you need to plant this at all most double the rate to make up for this? Ive been looking into quality seed and what makes it different. Am I thinking correctly ?

That would be correct. I believe they recommend 8-9lbs Per acre though not 15. I’d have to look into it more again.

 

[buckhunter10]

Not much to report here all, just getting ready for trip to the farm next week. I have some Alfalfa seed, Durana seed. I will pick up some other seeds and setup the plan to plant once I finish the dozer work in a few weeks.

Not a bad view today from my home office! Spring is NEAR!

 

[buckhunter10]

Well it has been a heck of a weekend. My cousin and I walked 5 miles yesterday still scouting the new farm. Boy, it sure was fun to find more apple trees, oaks, etc. The place is just a MECA for deer - I hope this holds true for future hunting seasons!

We pulled same cameras and we were happy to see many Turkeys - dont worry feeder is empty!